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INSPECTION REPORT ON |
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Ashfold School |
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Full Name of the School |
Ashfold School |
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DfES Number |
825/6003 |
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Registered Charity Number |
272663 |
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Address |
Dorton House, Aylesbury, Bucks. HP18 9NG |
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Telephone Number |
01844 238237 |
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Fax Number |
01844 238505 |
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Email Address |
hmsecretary@ashfoldschool.co.uk |
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Headteacher |
Mr. M.O.M. Chitty |
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Chair of Governors |
Mr R. Williams |
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Age Range |
3 - 13 years |
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Gender |
Mixed |
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Inspection Dates |
6th – 9th March, 2006 |
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This inspection report follows the framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The inspection was carried out under the arrangements of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership. It was also carried out under Section 162A(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002, as amended by the Education Act 2005, under the provisions of which the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has accredited ISI as the body approved for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to ISC Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003.
The inspection was not carried out in conjunction with the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and the report does not contain specific judgements on the National Minimum Boarding Standards. It comments on the progress made by the school in meeting the recommendations set out in the most recent statutory boarding inspection and evaluates the quality of the boarding experience and its contribution to pupils’ education and development in general. The full CSCI report can be found at www.csci.org.uk.
The inspection does not examine the financial viability of the school or investigate its accounting procedures. The inspectors check the school’s health and safety procedures and comment on any significant hazards they encounter: they do not carry out an exhaustive health and safety examination. Their inspection of the premises is from an educational perspective and does not include in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features.
1.1 Ashfold School is an independent preparatory school situated in Dorton, a village near Aylesbury. The school was founded in 1927; it moved to its current site, a 30-acre estate, in 1956. At the heart of the school is a Jacobean mansion.
1.2 In 1976, the school became a charitable trust under a board of governors. There are 274 pupils on roll, of whom about one-third are girls and two-thirds are boys. The school operates from Monday to Friday, with a thriving provision for weekly and occasional boarders. Most pupils join the school in the pre-prep department. Entry is non-selective, so the spread of ability is wide, but overall, the attainment of pupils on entry is above the national average for all schools. The school has identified 50 pupils who have special educational needs; 30 of these receive specialist support and the others receive support in the classroom. No pupils have English as an additional language.
1.3 It is a family-oriented school, giving priority to brothers and sisters, and having a large number of staff living on site. It places great emphasis on games, having sport each afternoon for all pupils aged 6 years and above.
1.4 The school aims to ‘help children fulfil their potential and develop self-esteem and confidence.’ It rightly gives prominence to literacy and numeracy, setting these within a broad, enriching and enjoyable curricular experience. The school seeks to ‘prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education.’
1.5 National Curriculum (NC) nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school. The year group nomenclature used by the school and its NC equivalence are shown in the following tables.
Preparatory Department
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School |
NC name |
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Pre School |
Nursery |
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Pre Prep I |
Nursery |
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Pre Prep II |
Reception |
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Pre Prep III |
Year 1 |
Junior Department
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School |
NC name |
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Transition |
Year 2 |
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Form I |
Year 3 |
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Form II |
Year 4 |
Senior Department
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School |
NC name |
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Form III |
Year 5 |
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Form IV |
Year 6 |
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Form V |
Year 7 |
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Form VI |
Year 8 |
The Educational Experience Provided
2.1 The education offered at Ashfold very successfully reflects the aims and philosophy of the school. It provides a very wide variety of educational experiences in which pupils’ intellectual, personal, physical and aesthetic needs, interests and aptitudes are well provided for. The curriculum has been significantly broadened and been more appropriately balanced since the school’s last inspection. Information and communication technology (ICT) is now taught as a separate subject, which has enhanced the provision of ICT skills, and there has been an increase in the amount of time available for music, physical education and religious studies.
2.2 The curriculum is planned effectively and provides equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. It promotes participation in a wide range of activities and interests, both within class time and through the activity programme. Long, medium and short-term planning are mainly detailed and thorough, for example in mathematics. However, there is some unevenness in the quality of the schemes of work from which teachers plan lessons, for example in history.
2.3
Strong links between the
director of studies and the heads of department ensure good curricular liaison
between the pre-prep, junior and senior departments of the school. These links benefit pupils’ curricular
experience, for example in art where liaison between different year groups
improves learning for all pupils involved.
2.4
The broad education provided gives pupils appropriate experience and a
good grounding in literacy, numeracy, science and technology. It also provides well for their social,
physical, aesthetic and creative development.
Pupils are given good opportunities to develop their speaking and
listening skills through the good opportunities they
have for working collaboratively and in groups. In
the pre-prep department, the initial focus on literacy and numeracy is well
supported by the frequent use of other subjects as vehicles for practising
reading or number work. As pupils get
older, subjects become more defined and separated, though there are still links
across the curriculum.
2.5
In a notable improvement since the last inspection, the pupils’
experiences are enriched by a very wide range of extra-curricular
activities. The range includes creative
areas such as music and art, intellectual pursuits such as chess, and, in
particular, sporting activities. Pupils
participate regularly and often in sporting activity, both within and outside
the normal curriculum, whatever their level of skill and aptitude; this was
frequently mentioned by the pupils as being one of the aspects they like most
about the educational experience at Ashfold.
2.6
The school prepares pupils very well for later life. Staff recognise the importance of helping pupils develop the
appropriate academic and personal skills to enable them to progress through the
school effectively and then move on to senior schools with confidence. Potential scholars are nurtured in a way that
supports them without placing undue pressure on them to work too hard in their
studies. Support for pupils with special
educational needs is very strong, through a mixture of focused in-class and
withdrawal sessions. The school has
correctly identified that those withdrawn from lessons, whether it be for extra
help, music lessons or sport, may miss important work, and so has already
drafted a sensible policy to ensure that this does not happen.
2.7 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the curriculum [Standard 1].
Pupils’ Learning and Achievements
2.8
The development of the school over the last six years has led to further
improvements in pupils’ learning and achievement. Pupils are well educated and achieve good
levels of knowledge, skills, and understanding in their subjects and
activities; they also learn to apply them effectively and creatively. They develop the skills and attitudes
essential for learning and for later life, a central aim of the school.
2.9 The school does not enter its pupils for the nationally standardised tests at the end of key stages, but the levels of attainment at ages 7 and 11 as seen in their work are above and sometimes well above the national average. This is particularly noteworthy because the school is non-selective. The school carries out a wide range of testing which gives a broad picture of attainment. It is becoming well employed in school life, and is used increasingly by teachers to track the progress individual pupils are making, as they move through the school.
2.10 Recent results from the Common Entrance examination taken at the end of the Year 8 suggest that the levels of attainment meet the standard required by the senior schools concerned. The school has a very good record of helping pupils, whether academic, all-rounders or sporting, to gain scholarships to top senior schools. In all the lessons observed, the level of attainment was always at least that which would be expected for the age of the pupils concerned, and usually much higher, for example in the 3D aspects of art and design technology (DT). School sports teams do well against local and sometimes national opposition.
2.11 Pupils listen attentively, discuss thoughtfully at all ages, and write fluently. They reason and discuss cogently, often at a level well in advance of their age, and think very well for themselves. They write at length for a wide variety of purposes and in a range of styles. They use language sensitively and appropriately, and, by Year 8, have a well-developed feel for it in their written work.
2.12 They apply their mathematical knowledge effectively and use ICT well across the curriculum, making rapid progress in the development of their skills in both subjects. Mental mathematical skills are particularly strong. Older pupils produce thoroughly researched and very attractively presented projects much enhanced by highly skilled use of ICT, including excellent use of presentational software. As they get older, pupils become more adept at taking notes, rather than merely copying work down, and their ability to organise themselves improves.
2.13 Pupils settle quickly to their lessons and to their work; they concentrate very well on the activities set and are equally adept working alone, in pairs or in groups. Even the younger pupils in the pre-prep department are able to discuss with a ‘thinking partner’ questions set by the teacher, for example on what questions to ask to elicit the answer to a “Who am I?” question. They persevere very well indeed, even on the odd occasion where the work lacks intrinsic interest and excitement, and are keen to achieve the outcome specified by the teacher. They are clearly products of a school that looks to imbue an understanding and appreciation of the wonders of life, however they manifest themselves; during the inspection week this even ran to cheerful acceptance of persistent drizzle, ‘wet play-time’ and the curtailment of the sports programme.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils
2.14
The personal development of
pupils is an important aim of the school; it is successful in meeting it. Positive at the time of the previous inspection, this aspect of school
life has improved further to become one of the key strengths of the
school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and
social development is very good; their cultural development is satisfactory,
because consideration of the multi-cultural nature of society is less well
established.
2.15
The strength of the natural
relationships and warm atmosphere created by the head, deputy and staff mean
that pupils thrive at Ashfold. The pupils have a very well developed
awareness of their own identity and self worth.
The strong family values espoused and pursued by the school give pupils
a real insight into the way in which they affect people’s lives. They are confident in their own ideas, which
leads to them being appropriately self-assured in expressing them; equally,
they are open to hearing other pupils’ or adults’ views. They frequently show a respect for other’s
viewpoints that is remarkably mature.
They develop a strong sense of identity,
self-worth and personal purpose, and are encouraged to explore values and
beliefs.
2.16
The pupils display a very clear moral sense in their day-to-day dealings
with one another and with staff. They
have a secure knowledge of right and wrong, displayed in their excellent behaviour
in and out of lessons. There is evident
respect between teachers and pupils, and between pupils, including many
instances of care and consideration by older pupils for younger ones. As the pupils grow older they develop a
marked loyalty to and pride in the school.
They identify closely with the school’s code of conduct and the
anti-bullying policy; these documents are well known to the pupils, but
infrequently required.
2.17
Socially, pupils readily accept responsibility for their behaviour and
are keen to show initiative, often thriving on the many opportunities the
school provides for developing leadership skills. The atmosphere of warmth and community
promoted by the headmaster, the deputy head and other staff cultivates further
social cohesion and co-operation amongst the pupils. The strength of the boarding experience makes
a significant contribution to the social development of all pupils, as they
further their understanding of how a community works and plays together. Pupils contribute naturally and without
fanfare to the quality of life at school.
The relatively new programme for personal, social and health education
includes teaching about public institutions and services in Great Britain, but
the full benefits of this development have not yet been felt.
2.18
Through art, DT, music, history, religious studies and many other
subjects, pupils acquire a good appreciation of and respect for their own
cultures. By looking at the jewellery,
for example, of different races, pupils also develop their understanding of
other cultural traditions. However,
given the predominantly homogenous nature of the school’s immediate
environment, celebration of cultural diversity is limited.
2.19
The school meets the regulatory requirements for the spiritual, moral,
social and cultural development of pupils [Standard 2].
The Quality of Teaching (Including Assessment)
2.20
The quality of teaching is good, with many examples of excellent lessons
seen in all parts of the school. The
strength of teaching supports the overall aims of the school very well. This is a significant improvement from the
last inspection when teaching was generally satisfactory.
2.21
There are particular strengths in the way that teachers and staff work
together with pupils to create an atmosphere of excitement and industry, which
leads in turn to significant learning.
The best teaching was when teachers were being creative and taking risks
with activities that could be, for example, noisy or messy, in order to inspire
and enthuse the pupils: even with the inspectors in the room! For example, a science lesson for Year 4
pupils stimulated creativity throughout the whole ability range, including
those pupils who had specific learning difficulties. This demonstrates that the confidence of
teachers; their assured manner and enthusiastic style are very beneficial to
pupils’ learning. Management of the
pupils’ behaviour is excellent, especially because it is often invisible.
2.22
Within the pre-prep department, the fluency with which teachers plan for
and teach cross-curricular issues is one aspect of many that are particularly
strong. Most of the excellent teaching
exploited this approach, as for example in a mathematics lesson on weighing,
where teaching took the opportunity to contribute to pupils’ linguistic,
spiritual and social development.
Similarly with the very youngest pupils, story time was used to develop
pupils’ counting skills, their awareness of appropriate behaviour, and their
knowledge and understanding of the outside world. In the best teaching, planning is very
carefully done, but does not limit flexibility or prevent teachers taking
opportunities to introduce unforeseen learning experiences.
2.23
Excellent teaching was seen in the junior and senior parts of the
school. Examples of excellent teaching
that emphasises the excitement of the world and the inspirational nature of
learning, rather than the dull and prosaic, included: French lessons during
which the teacher uttered not a single word of English; an art lesson in which
work on Monet’s water lilies inspired the observer, as well as the
participants; and religious studies lessons where the exploration of the
parable of the unforgiving servant included a powerful combination of ICT and
drama. In the lessons that did not
sparkle as much, although satisfactory, the teaching was much more predictable,
with less interesting resources and methods used; learning was taking place,
but the atmosphere was one of routine, rather than of excitement.
2.24
As part of their teaching duties, teachers set and mark many assessments,
which feed into the very regular reporting system for parents. This hard work is rather inefficient at
present, however. The data is not
properly analysed and the information has only limited impact on teachers’
planning. Similarly, much, though not
all, of the marking of pupils’ work lacks considered comments on how pupils
could improve the work further. The
whole assessment system is time-consuming, but its overall effectiveness
limited. Teachers are able to work
successfully with the pupils because they know them very well. Nevertheless, opportunities to respond in
more depth to individual and specific learning needs, as they vary over time,
and to share this information with pupils and parents, are being missed.
2.25
The school meets the regulatory requirements for teaching [Standard 1].
3. THE QUALITY OF CARE AND RELATIONSHIPS
The Quality of Pastoral Care, and the Welfare, Health and Safety of Pupils
3.1 The high quality of care that staff devote to the well-being of their pupils is an even stronger feature of the school than it was six years ago; it is excellent. Procedures have been tightened up so that there is now a clear complaints policy, a programme for personal, social and health education and improved attention given to welfare, health and safety.
3.2 Staff know their pupils very well and form strong relationships with them. These good relationships and the caring atmosphere pervade the school; from the youngest classes of two- and three- year olds, to the 12- and 13-year olds about to go to senior school, the pupils report that they feel very well cared for and they have many people in the school to whom they know they can talk openly. The professional approach to care displayed by staff is underpinned very effectively by comprehensive formal arrangements for the pastoral care, support and guidance of pupils. Pupils are themselves familiar with school procedures and clear about what to do if they have any concerns. In discussions, pupils related details about the anti-bullying policy, for example, but emphasised that it was rare for it to be used; the ‘safe box’, though not used often, is a secure and confidential way that pupils can use to ask for help or support, if they do not want to ask openly.
3.3 The school’s procedures for promoting good behaviour are very clear and are respected by the pupils. There are plenty of chances to have fun and to learn from one another around the school grounds, which are appropriately supervised without being excessively regimented.
3.4 The family feeling of the school can also be discerned at play-times. Pupils respond well to the school’s emphasis on care for others and many examples of this were seen. Whether playing with remote control cars, going from class to class, or holding doors open to dodge inclement weather, pupils of all ages worked together; thus the pupils themselves are furthering the aims of the school and contributing to its strong ethos of care.
3.5
The health, welfare and safety
of the pupils are central to the work of the school, and the school seeks
regular professional advice on such matters.
This results in an environment that allows for pupils to be safe and
healthy. Teachers alert pupils to risk
and guide them in dealing with it. For
example, when the lake is used for teaching purposes the school has ensured
good signposting and made pupils well aware of the risks involved in breaking
the strict rules that govern its use.
This enables it to be used effectively as an aid to teaching and
learning. This is very much in keeping
with a key aim of the school: “to prepare children for life at their chosen
secondary school, by developing in them the skills, values and habits they will
need to thrive there”.
3.6 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the welfare, health and safety of pupils [Standard 3].
The Quality of Links with Parents and the Community
3.7 Parents view the quality of the school and their relationships with staff even more positively than at the last inspection and are even more pleased with their children’s progress: the inspectors agree with these views, judging links with parents and the community to be excellent. Links with the community have developed very well, though attempts to improve links with other local schools have not always been successful.
3.8 The school has created an effective partnership with parents because the headmaster expends significant effort on ensuring that links are strong. Regular briefing sessions are held for parents, covering planned issues and others that come up on the day. For example, in response to some questions from parents, the headmaster held a session on both the importance of, and the support provided for, the high academic aspirations the school has for its pupils.
3.9 A very significant majority of parents returned the questionnaire prior to the inspection, and there was almost unanimous praise for the school. Parents are clearly more than satisfied with the education and support provided for their children; the inspectors agree that the provision is high quality. There are good opportunities for parents to be involved in the activities run in school, and also to support the work and progress of their children. Parents accompany school trips, help with make-up and costumes for school plays and assemblies, and give talks to pupils on areas of life with which they are familiar. Very regular information is made available to parents about their own children through period orders, meetings and reports. They are also kept well informed about school events; the numerous sporting and social activities are an important link between school and home. The thriving Parents’ Committee reflects the value placed upon it by the headmaster and the school as a whole.
3.10 Concerns of parents are attended to with due care and anxious parents are given the personal attention of the headmaster and senior staff. Meticulous records of parental concerns are maintained, thus ensuring that any pattern of worry or alarm is seen swiftly and alleviated equally rapidly. Parents can gain access to the headmaster and other relevant members of staff easily and quickly, which is another way that concerns or questions are taken care of without delay.
3.11 The school works hard to make worthwhile links with the wider community and the quality of these links is good. The school plays an active part in village life and there are strong links with the church and local cricket and rugby clubs.
3.12 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the provision of information and the manner in which complaints are to be handled [Standards 6 and 7].
The Quality of Boarding Education
3.13
The provision for boarding has been enhanced further over the last six
years; it is excellent and a key strength of the school. Relationships within boarding are very
positive and supportive; the atmosphere has far more in common with that of a
family at home than a formal boarding environment. Pupils sprawl comfortably over the sofas,
watching television with their friends, and clearly are entirely relaxed as
they wind down ready for bed. Most
pupils board because it allows them greater access to evening activities, but
they reported that they “just like boarding, to be with our friends”. The quality of relationships nurtured by the
house parents is exemplary. They present
excellent role models to the pupils and insist on the highest standards of
personal, social and moral development.
3.14 The school offers boarders a very good range of activities out of school time; indeed, their range and quality is the main reason that many of the pupils started boarding at all. School staff are very much involved in providing these activities. As a result, boarding provision enhances the ethos of the school as a whole. For example, day and boarding pupils see the headmaster teaching shooting and the history teacher and a dad running an activity on the selling and buying on the Futures Market. Consequently, relationships and roles are extended beyond the classroom fruitfully.
3.15 The quality of accommodation and resources is good and very suitable for the needs of the pupils. The homely atmosphere extends to every part of the accommodation, including the boarding parents’ flat, which is the centre of activity for boarders. Dormitories are bright, in good decorative order and personalised, with posters, duvet covers and range of facilities in the common room. This level of individualisation is another reason that pupils, including those who may only stay overnight once a week, feel so at home.
4. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
4.1 The quality of governance is excellent and governors support the school’s aims very effectively. Governors’ detailed knowledge of, and long-term commitment to, the school give rise to the very good quality of education provided. The structure and management arrangements relating to the governing body are well defined, enable appropriate oversight of the school and contribute very effectively to financial planning, academic matters, management of the premises and investment in resources. There is clear recognition of the governors’ strategic role. Their roles of maintaining the ethos, quality and development of the school, and of ensuring compliance with regulatory and legal requirements are taken very seriously. Close involvement in the school and availability to staff is the norm. The governors are very active in supporting the work of the school and there is an excellent working relationship between them, the headmaster and the staff.
The Quality of Leadership and Management
4.2 Leadership and management are good throughout the school. Building further on his effectiveness at the time of the last inspection, the headmaster provides outstanding leadership, being resolute and purposeful in the pursuit of the school’s aims and purposes. This clear and decisive sense of direction is well supported by the Ashfold development committee (ADC). This group took over the roles of the senior management team in order to streamline the school’s improvement. It has been successful, which is evident from the very positive ethos, the quality of teaching, the high standards of pupils’ achievement, the excellence of pastoral care, the pupils’ outstanding personal development and the secure financial and administrative management. These successes notwithstanding, ADC is a small group and its membership is not as representative of the school population as it might be.
4.3 In general, it is staff in the senior part of the school who coordinate the teaching of subjects, which overlooks the expertise available in the rest of the school. Some heads of department and subject specialists in all parts of the school are unclear about aspects of their role or are unsure how to best effect them; opportunities for monitoring and developing the curricular experience of pupils and the quality of teaching and learning are thus being missed.
4.4 A notable and characteristic feature of the school is its very obvious success in achieving its aims. Governors, the headmaster, bursar, heads of departments, subject specialists and all staff with management responsibilities are united and resolute in the pursuit of the school aims. In particular, there is frequent discussion as to how best to support self-esteem and confidence in the pupils, whilst making learning inspirational and fun. The success of this management work is evident in the outcomes – happy, self-confident pupils who are keen to learn.
4.5 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the suitability of proprietors and staff and for premises and accommodation [Standards 4 and 5].
5.1 The school is very successful in meeting its aims and aspirations. It is an exciting, vibrant and happy community. It provides a broad range of subjects and activities, with good opportunities for all pupils to achieve their potential. Pupils’ achievements throughout the school are often considerable in academic subjects, as well as in sport and the creative areas of music, art and drama. These high achievements are mainly due to high quality teaching, exemplary leadership from the head, strong and successful management by the ADC, the heads of the pre prep and junior departments, the governors, and the efficient structures and systems that support pupils’ learning. Nevertheless, the collection and use of data on what pupils have learned is not as effective as it should be. The headmaster, teachers and staff are committed and very hard working; they ensure that the best interests of the pupils are at the centre of everything they do. The pupils are a real credit to the school and to their parents; they are pleasantly self-confident, behave very well and are responsible members of the school community. They are proud of their school and thrive in an environment that ensures they are well cared for, but not overly cosseted; provision for their personal development is highly successful, as is that for boarding. The quality of pastoral care and the boarding provision is exemplary.
5.2 Strengths found at the time of the last inspection have been successfully built upon further to become even stronger; weaknesses have been tackled, though as the school is aware, one issue is still in the process of being addressed, namely the redesignation of Year 2 into the pre-prep department, which is due to happen in September 2006.
5.3 The school meets all the regulatory requirements.
5.4 In order to build further on the many strengths of the school, and to rectify the few weaknesses, the school should consider the following, all of which have been already identified as potential areas for improvement by the school:
1. explore ways to streamline the collection of summative assessment data, thus freeing time to make better use of formative assessment to enhance pupils’ achievements;
2. broaden the ADC to reflect more closely the nature of the staff and pupil population;
3. strengthen further the curriculum links across the whole school and between different subjects, mainly through clarifying the roles of teachers with management responsibilities and supporting them in implementing these.
5.5 No action in respect of regulatory requirements is required.
6.
summary of inspection evidence
6.1 The inspection was carried out from 6th to 9th March 2006. The inspectors examined samples of pupils’ work, observed lessons and conducted formal interviews with pupils. They held discussions with teaching and non-teaching staff and with governors, observed a sample of the extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, and attended registration sessions and assemblies. Inspectors visited the boarding house and the school surgery. The responses of parents and pupils to pre-inspection questionnaires were analysed, and the inspectors examined a range of documentation made available by the school.
6.2 A bursar from another school joined the reporting inspector on the preliminary visit as part of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) scheme, spending the day with the bursar’s department. The principal findings have been included in the relevant sections of this report.
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M Evans |
ISI Reporting Inspector |
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J Scaife |
Boarding master and retired headmaster, 3 schools (IAPS) |
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P Lough |